WRQ Wants Piece of Wall Data Action Too

If the folks at NetManage think they can just waltz in and swallow up Wall Data while WRQ watches from the terminal emulation sidelines, they've got another thing coming. Quickly reacting to the acquisition carnage of the number three player in terminal emulation, number four has launched the WRQ Open Door Program (www.wrq.com/opendoor), a free roadmap to welcome Rumba and Cyberprise customers to the wonderful world of Reflection.

The WRQ Open Door Program offers Wall Data Rumba and Cyberprise customers in North America the opportunity to receive the corresponding Reflection product, with the matching number of per-seat licenses for free. Customers who have a current Wall Data maintenance agreement will receive six months of maintenance from WRQ for the matching number of per-seat licenses, also gratis. WRQ products will include automated tools for helping Rumba and Cyberprise customers upgrade smoothly to Reflection. The offer extends through the end of January 2000.

"There's no obligation here. They don't have to relinquish the rights to any software," says Shaun Wolfe, vice president of the WRQ host access group. "We look at this as an investment into future potential relationships with that install base. At a time when there's a lot of uncertainty, they have an opportunity to use Reflection with no obligation."

Wolfe explains that much of WRQ's business comes from replacing existing install bases and that the company is constantly engaged in activity that would help it do that. Wolfe says that with the acquisition and the uncertainty at Wall Data, there would have been customers WRQ was going to replace anyway. "This is recognition that a long term relationship is worth more than a short term investment," Wolfe says.

Steven Drake, senior research analyst with International Data Corp. (IDC, www.idc.com), says WRQ's approach to swallow up Wall Data's install base is certainly the most vocal. That doesn't mean the other big fish in the host access pond, such as IBM Corp. (www.ibm.com) and Attachmate Corp. (www.attachmate.com), aren't offering similar deals as well.

Drake also comments that he doubts there will be a widespread exodus of the Rumba congregation. "I think in some specific enterprise scenarios where WRQ and Wall Data coexist, [WRQ] has an opportunity to gain some seats," Drake observes. "But there's not going to be wholesale removals of Wall Data's entire deployment." -- Brian Ploskina